How Sleeping Changes As You Age

Newborns sleep almost all the time. Toddlers and kids still sleep longer than adults too because of their developing brains and bodies. But over time, sleeping hours of a person lessens until adulthood where responsibilities are plenty but lacking on sleep and rest. Our sleeping patterns also change with aging. Older people find it harder to sleep as they age and often wake up during the night or in the wee hours of the morning.

The elderly are often known as light sleepers with an average of 6.5 hours sleep at night. Their sleep is often devoid of dreams and lacking in deep sleep that is the best part of sleeping in terms of quality and the health benefits you can get from it. Nocturia or excessive urination at night are also common problems experienced by older adults that have a big impact on the quantity and quality of their sleep.

It is generally accepted that people in middle age and beyond sleep about 1 hour less due to biological changes (not because they are super busy). The 1-hour sleep loss is considered natural and not unhealthy, says Judith E. Carroll, a psychiatrist who researches neuroscience and human behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles.

However, restorative sleep tends to decline with age. “The important point is that the overall need for quality sleep — deep sleep — is thought to remain, even though it is increasingly hard to get as the body ages,” Carroll says.

People spend less time in deep non-REM slumber, also called Delta sleep, which is a time for memory consolidation and the brain’s clearing of protein waste (including amyloid beta, linked to Alzheimer’s disease). Delta sleep restores people mentally and physiologically.

(Via: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2017/05/01/quality-sleep-aging/#.WQ0rTIiGPIU)

Sleeping does a lot of strange things to the body, especially for the younger generations. Unfortunately, the elderly don’t get to enjoy sleep as much as the younger ones even though they have more time on their hands now that they’re retired or out of work.

“Sleep changes with aging, but it doesn’t just change with aging; it can also start to explain aging itself,” says review co-author Matthew Walker, who leads the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. “Every one of the major diseases that are killing us in first-world nations – from diabetes to obesity to Alzheimer’s disease to cancer – all of those things now have strong causal links to a lack of sleep. And all of those diseases significantly increase in likelihood the older that we get, and especially in dementia.”

Older adults’ sleep loss isn’t due to a busy schedule or simply needing less sleep. As the brain ages, neurons and circuits in the areas that regulate sleep slowly degrade, resulting in a decreased amount of non-REM sleep. Since non-REM deep sleep plays a key role in maintaining memory and cognition, that’s a problem. “There is a debate in the literature as to whether older adults need less sleep, or rather, older adults cannot generate the sleep that they nevertheless need. We discuss this debate at length in the review,” says Walker. “The evidence seems to favor one side – older adults do not have a reduced sleep need, but instead, an impaired ability to generate sleep. The elderly therefore suffer from an unmet sleep need.”

Ageing leads to decline in almost every measure scientists apply to slumber. “Sleep duration – how much time you spend asleep – decreases as you get older,” says study co-author Bryce Mander of University of California Berkeley. “Your sleep gets more fragmented as you get older. How much time you spend in individual stages of sleep, and the amount of time you spend in the deeper stages, in particular non-REM deep sleep, gets dramatically reduced as you get older. Even moving from one stage to another becomes less predictable and more disorganized.”

(Via: https://guardian.ng/features/health/why-sleep-quantity-quality-decline-as-people-get-older/)

The elderly have gone through so much in life and all these changes both good and bad can wreak havoc with their sleep. Even the different medications they take can also mess with their sleeping patterns. However, sleeping less in your older age isn’t really a problem at all if you still feel refreshed and energized upon waking up. It simply means that your sleeping requirements have changed and you can make do with 6-7 hours of sleep now than you did in the past.

The elderly need to go see a health provider, though, if they suffer from other sleep-related disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea and the annoying snoring that accompanies it because their health will further deteriorate if these issues are not addressed. While surgery is no longer an option for conditions like this among older people because of the risks involved, there are still other solutions to address sleep apnea, for instance. Anti-snoring gadgets like https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/zquiet can offer relief as well as https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx that are non-invasive but addresses the problem especially the snoring and breathing pauses that may exacerbate other pre-existing health conditions.

The following post How Sleeping Changes As You Age Discover more on: The Snoring Mouthpiece Review

source https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/zquiet/how-sleeping-changes-as-you-age

The Struggle Is Real If You Can’t Sleep

We all can’t wait to hit the bed after working or studying so hard during the day. Our feet take us to faraway places and we get to push our body’s limit but our body badly needs to rest and recuperate once night time falls. You can only do so much during the day and the effort and exertion will take its toll on your body.

However, there are instances when going to sleep is easier said than done. Aside from too much preoccupation with smart gadgets and social media, there are sleeping conditions that affect our sleeping patterns big time. Have you ever heard of sleep apnea? Probably not. However, you have likely heard snoring people for years now, right?

Sleep apnea refers to interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea. It is a serious disorder that causes the throat to close until airways become blocked and breathing gets interrupted or stops for a varying amount of time during sleep. This may decrease oxygen supply to the brain, causing people to wake up multiple times in the middle of the night.

Common symptoms are breath pauses, frequent snoring and choking or gasping sounds during sleep. Those who suffer from sleep apnea often feel fatigue throughout the day and, in some cases, people will unintentionally fall asleep at undesired times. The lack of sleep causes people to wake up feeling unrefreshed and with morning headaches. Untreated sleep apnea can worsen and in some cases result in medical problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and depression.

(Via: http://triblive.com/news/healthnow/inaheartbeat/12210626-74/how-to-identify-and-treat-sleep-apnea)

While snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, not all snorers actually have the condition. It is why getting yourself checked in a sleep clinic is crucial if you are worried and want to confirm diagnosis so you can get appropriate treatment as well.

Bonk, a Hockessin resident, dismissed his symptoms as a side effect of working too hard at his former job as public relations director for the Blood Bank of Delmarva. But things kept getting worse. He began to fall asleep while driving at night, only narrowly avoiding collisions on a few occasions. While on a camping vacation with his daughters, Bonk was kicked out of the tent for snoring too loudly.

Finally, he decided to get professional help. His doctor ordered him to get a test for sleep apnea, a disorder that disrupts a patient's breathing while sleeping. The test revealed Bonk stopped breathing as much as 30 times an hour.

"I was shocked," Bonk said.

Bonk is one of 22 million Americans who suffers from sleep apnea, according to data from the American Sleep Apnea Association. The same organization estimates that more than 80 percent of sleep apnea cases are undiagnosed

Sleep apnea is characterized by loud snoring that occurs before a person stops breathing. The breathing pause can last a few seconds or several minutes and may happen many times during the night. It has been linked to daytime sleepiness and a host of other diseases.

(Via: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/2017/04/21/businesses-benefit-sleep-apnea-awareness/100706878/)

It is not only your health that is compromised with sleep apnea but your safety, as well as other bothersome symptoms, can put your life at risk, not to mention the scary part of breathing pauses while sleeping at night. As awareness about the condition increases, more and more people who have sleeping issues get themselves checked in sleep clinics to save themselves from potentially deadly complications. Partners of snorers also lose sleep because the snoring is just too loud that falling asleep is virtually impossible.

Fortunately, newer technologies also enabled the experts to come up with innovative solutions to this annoying and deadly problem of sleep apnea. Anti-snoring mouthpieces like https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution can offer relief from snoring and save the snorer from those deadly breathing pauses while you can also look into https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx as a possible solution. There are much more similar products in the market so you can be sure you’ll be able to find one that can offer you relief without having to go under the knife or use an inconvenient old remedy like CPAP.

The following blog article The Struggle Is Real If You Can’t Sleep is republished from SnoringMouthpieceReview.org

source https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx/the-struggle-is-real-if-you-cant-sleep

Use These Gadgets To Sleep Better

Sleep is a basic human need but it seems that many of us are having sleep problems these days. Whether it is a natural human condition or disorder or a distraction of our own doing, we have a hard time getting that eight hours of sleep daily that the experts recommend. Technology, for instance, can be your friend or foe. Depending on the type of technology and how you use it, you can end up feeling well-rested and revitalized after a good night’s sleep or even more exhausted than when you slept the night before. Many people actually feel this way.

But it is not a lost cause yet. There are still innovative gadgets you can use that can help you sleep better and improve your health if you just know what to look out for. These devices are unlike most tech gadgets we know of that is forcing us to stay up late at night and tinker with them mindlessly. These devices help us disconnect ourselves from technology and more in tune with our body clock to help us sleep better. Having a smartphone nearby proves to be too much of a distraction especially the blue light it emits that disrupts your body clock making it believe it is daylight instead of night time already. You become a night owl that is more wide awake at night rather than fast asleep like everybody else.

While it may be tempting to turn to over-the-counter or prescription sleep solutions, some of these options can have wacky side effects. My doctor recommended that I take allergy medication at night to help me fall asleep. I did, it worked, and I was psyched to put an end to my sleepless nights. But then I learned that many allergy medicines are linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to an article published by Harvard Medical School. Since my grandmother has dementia, this has me rethinking that quick fix.

And, let's not forget about some of those prescription medications that don't actually induce sleep but instead turn off your conscious brain. I tried one of these and began sleep walking, and there are myriad reports online about people sleep eating and sleep driving. People have even committed crimes while asleep. Um, no thanks.

Constantly losing sleep can take its toll on the human body and you end up more agitated and easily irritated too. You lack the focus and attention span to finish your tasks but get easily distracted by the sound of a notification coming in. Sleeping pills won’t help you either. It may help you sleep but constant use poses more danger that accumulates over time. And while you may think that technology can’t help you, these innovations are here to prove you wrong.

Not being able to sleep can be beyond frustrating. Personally, if I don't get enough sleep I am as cranky as a three-year-old who missed a nap. If you can't sleep, and you don't have time or money to visit a sleep clinic, you can bring the clinic to you.

SleepRate, a sleep solution medtech company, has launched “Sleep Check Up,” a professional sleep evaluation app, to assess users’ sleep and help them identify and understand their sleep problems with medically backed evaluations, according to a press release from the company.

(Via: https://www.bustle.com/p/the-best-apps-gadgets-to-help-you-get-to-sleep-faster-62291)

But wait because there are more tech gadgets to choose from. It's better to scout the market first for everything it has to offer before deciding on one or two that you think is the best fit for your needs. Remember that some of them can be pricey, so don't act rashly and think about what you are looking for before parting with your hard-earned money.

And if that's not enough: Not getting sufficient sleep can also lead to weight gain. "Your leptin and ghrelin hormones [which control our appetites] go up, and that makes you want to eat more," he adds. We've all heard the basics— no TV before bed, anyone?—but what about when that stuff isn't enough? (Up to 20 percent of Americans suffer from sleep or wakeful-ness disorders.) The booming sleep-tech market will tuck you in.

Kryo Sleep Performance System

No more kicking off the covers or fiddling with the AC. This mattress topper, due out next month, water-cools (circulating the temperature-perfect water through the superthin pad) your side of the bed for better sleep (experts say somewhere between 60°F and 68°F is optimal), then "warms" you awake.

$399

Moona Smart Pillow

If the cold side of a pillow gets you drifting off, Moona is promising a cool comforting pillow all night long.

The pillow-pads create the optimum pillow temperature which helps you sleep better and wake up more easily by gently warming the pillow.

You can also accurately record your sleep data - beats having to sleep with a phone under your pillow to keep track of your snooze time.

(Via: http://www.marieclaire.com/health-fitness/news/a27806/best-sleep-gadgets/)

Different trends come and go but tech gadgets that help improve human life are here to stay. Whether it is a smart mattress or pillow or a handy sleep tracking gadget you can wear daily, these innovations are a great addition to the bedroom so sleep becomes restful once more. Why suffer from constant sleep deprivation when there are innovations aimed at helping you overcome your various sleep issues? You’ll be surprised that there are far more gadgets that can help induce sleep aside from the ones listed here.

If your chronic sleeplessness is caused by something else, say sleep apnea, it’s an entirely different story. You need to get checked and treated for it because it is a deadly condition that can put you at higher risk of cardiac arrest and even sudden death. To spare yourself from the dangers of sleep apnea, a mouthpiece like this: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/zquiet may be the one you are looking for. Or if you are looking for another option, this: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/vitalsleep is another great alternative to give you that restful sleep you have always dreamed of.

Use These Gadgets To Sleep Better is available on The Snoring Mouthpiece Review Blog

source https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx/use-these-gadgets-to-sleep-better

Sleep Commando, Anyone? The Benefits Of Sleeping Naked…

Many people take sleep for granted, especially at a time when everything revolves around technology. I’m sure many of you can relate to seeing yourself all tucked in bed but still fiddling with your smartphone, right? Too much technology use can mess up with your sleep and negatively affect your health over time. Aside from hiding that phone, why don’t you try sleeping commando to improve your sleep?

Although sleeping bare naked is something you haven’t done since you were an infant probably, sleeping in matching sleepwear and nighties are just too irresistible for many. Although men probably won’t have any qualms about this, sleeping with nothing on might be an issue for women – especially the single ladies. For couples, this is the perfect excuse to enjoy more skin contact and some cuddling, perhaps. And imagine how comfortable you will feel during summer when the heat is just unbearable and sleeping with your clothes on makes you all sweaty and feeling hot.

What if I told you in just 10 seconds a day, you can sleep better, make more money, reduce stress, and lose weight? Sleeping naked can do all these things and more. All you have to do is take off your clothes. While there are countless strategies floating around out there to help you improve in these areas, none is as simple—and many are less effective—as stripping down before you go to sleep.

Since only 8% of people sleep naked, most everyone can discover the benefits of sleeping in the buff. This may sound far-fetched, but hear me out before you throw those cozy flannel pajamas on.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2016/09/13/4-reasons-sleeping-naked-makes-you-healthier-and-wealthier/#1ec4e57169b4)

Ancient people had no qualms sleeping naked because clothing wasn’t really as essential as food. But now that we can have everything we possibly want in just a snap of a finger, it may be an issue. However, we learn more through technology because we have access to sites that provide helpful information without us having to go to the library ourselves and search up on something manually. We now know that sleeping commando is actually good for our health.

One in four Britains sleep in the nude - but do you know its serious health benefits?

According to GP Dr Sarah Brewer, sleeping naked could aid weight loss, as the body overproduces the hormone cortisol when it gets too warm, resulting in an increased appetite.

Sleeping in the buff could also reduce the risk of getting thrush, as airing the intimate area helps to stop fungus' from thriving in the warm, moist environment.

Going nude may also boost male fertility, as the hormone testosterone is released at night, with its production being reduced if a man gets too hot.

Couples could also benefit, as sleeping naked makes people feel more loving, as well as the sight of bare skin stimulating arousal.

(Via: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4382388/Sleeping-naked-seriously-benefit-health.html)

If you still have your doubts, then it might be high time to give it a try so you can experience yourself the benefits offered by clothe-free sleeping.

Only 12 percent of Americans sleep naked, according to a poll from the National Sleep Foundation, but it is highly recommended by both researchers and doctors.

The human body is designed to decrease in temperature during sleep, and not only does sleeping in the nude keep you comfortable through the night, but it determines when your body is ready to fall asleep and when it is time to wake up. 

One study found that even the slightest cooling of the skin helps individuals fall into a much deeper sleep, according to Seeker.

Cooling the body is especially beneficial to the elderly, and this research confirms previous studies that found warmer skin, in both humans and animals, disrupts sleep.

(Via: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3736531/Do-sleep-naked-Experts-say-skipping-clothes-bedtime-keeps-bacteria-bay-boost-immune-system.html)

So, what are you waiting for? Strip off your clothes and sleep bare naked tonight and enjoy the cool air on your skin. With luck, you’ll sleep soundly throughout the night for the first time in a long time. This spring and well into summer, the temperature is expected to go up and up, so now is the perfect time to sleep commando. Of course, only do this if you sleep by yourself in your own room for single individuals but not a problem at all for married couples. Not only you feel cooler and sleep better but your health improves when you sleep soundly at night.

However, if you are suffering from a sleeping disorder, sleeping commando may not be enough to solve your problem. So, check this link for a possible solution to issues involving snoring or sleep apnea: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution. You can also check out this one so you have more options to choose from: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/sleeptight.

Sleep Commando, Anyone? The Benefits Of Sleeping Naked… Discover more on: SnoringMouthpieceReview.org

source https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/sleeptight/benefits-of-sleeping-naked

Why Taking Naps At The Best Time Is Good For You

Sleep is a crucial part of life. Whatever our pursuits are in our day-to-day, we ultimately get tired and sleepy at the end of the day. It is our body’s way of telling us to rest and recuperate to prepare for what lies ahead the next day. And whether you are a light or deep sleeper, being able to get some decent sleep is a must daily.

Napping during the day is also a great practice especially if you are a busy bee who got lots of things to do each day and need a few minutes to recharge and move on. People living in big cities often don’t have the time of day to lie down for a few minutes and grab some quick eye but napping actually has lots of health benefits that you should look into.

How many times have you found yourself wishing you could rewind to Preschool, when afternoon naps were mandatory? Well, a U.K.-based fitness chain is about to make that daydream a reality with "napercise," a group class in which participants quite literally nap for 45 minutes.

According to David Lloyd Clubs, for their "40 winks workout," single beds will replace spin bikes in the studio. The thermostat will be turned down, and relaxing music will play over the sound system to create the perfect environment for catching Zs. The first napercise sessions are scheduled for this weekend.

While the concept may seem silly, the motivation for the class is no joke. The idea came about after a David Lloyds Clubs survey found that 86% of parents struggle with fatigue, and 26% generally get less than five hours of sleep a night. Napercise was born to help “exhausted mums and dads boost their mental and physical wellbeing," the company said in a press release.

(Via: http://www.health.com/sleep/napercise)

Don’t take such a class as a laughing matter because many people are actually interested in joining. We loathed being told to sleep when we were younger but as we grew up, we realized how valuable sleep is and thus consider it more of a luxury as we juggle all our adult responsibilities.

Sleep. The one thing that you can never get back. Growing up, you battled the Sandman. Moving your bedtime later and later. When high school gets over, you make your own decisions on bedtime and that could mean hitting the sack early or burning a candle on both ends.

Power napping is a skill. Not everyone can master it and make it work for them. There’s a delicate balance to napping that you shouldn’t cross or else it might do you more harm than good.

The two things that I have learned about my recent attempt to regain my energy is that I don’t actually have to fall asleep and not to oversleep.

The first seems to be counterintuitive, but a nice relaxing spot, eyes closed and light noise in the background can go a long way with feeling refreshed. Ideally, you want to doze off for a little bit, not reaching REM sleep, and wake up. Drowsiness will be there for a minute or two, but you should be able to get through it.

The other thing is to not oversleep. I know that when you find your inner peace, you want to continue until you wake up on your own, but you have to set an alarm and get up. Taking a longer nap may actually leave you more lethargic than energized.

(Via: http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/2017/05/an-attempt-to-master-the-art-of-power-napping/)

Poor sleep is a common complaint among the millennials of today. They actually are the ones making most of the workforce today and one of the most overworked too. Life these days isn’t a walk in the park. It’s hard to sleep on time or set a regular bed time because of technology. How many times have you found yourself unable to put down your phone because you are so engrossed in checking all your social media accounts?

However, there are some who don’t have a choice as to why they lie awake at night. It’s usually because of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. If you are one of the unfortunate few who is suffering from this condition, maybe https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx can offer you relief.

Why Taking Naps At The Best Time Is Good For You Discover more on: The Snoring Mouthpiece Review

source https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx/why-taking-naps-at-the-best-time-is-good-for-you